RESIGNING STAFF OF BMW REMAINS UNCOMPROMISED - DIRECTORS REQUEST CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT AS THEY ACCEPT RESIGNATIONS.

David L Wickman,  the President of the Provincial  Elders Conference, Northern Province, of the Moravian Church Northern Province, sent this letter to congregations informing that the Board of World Missions will not meet the requests of resigning staff to deal with  problematic Resolutions and the way they are handled in Synods. President Wickman encourages congregations to increase their budgets to World Missions so that resigning staff members can continue their work independent of the Moravian Church.

This may seem confusing that the Missions board wants to support their work but not their beliefs. It seems they do not want their views on salvation and interpretation of scripture to be held as that of the Moravian Church.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I write to inform the congregations of the Northern Province of the actions taken during the Board of World Mission extraordinary meeting held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, February 7-8,2003. In the very near future you will receive a letter from the board, but this letter will help to give additional perspectives.

First, it was very clear that God's Holy Spirit was present and the prayers of the community of believers were felt in a special way. This evidence of the presence of God affirms the vitality of the communities of faith found throughout the Northern Province.

Second, the Board of World Mission unanimously affirmed the current vision of the Board to minister in the name of Christ with our partner provinces (Alaska, Costa Rica, Eastern West Indies, Guyana, Honduras, Labrador, Nicaragua, and Tanzania-West) and to bring the Gospel message to the unreached peoples of the world. This vision currently has its expression on the continent of Asia and in Mexico, where the Board of World Mission participates in the sharing of the Gospel to the Mixteco people. The Holy Spirit has opened the door and "first fruits'. have been found in each location for which the board and the church give thanks to God.

Third, the Board of World Mission received. thoroughly discussed. and explored opportunities for the previously presented letters of resignation to be reconsidered; however. it was clear that the basis for this reconsideration could not be found. This painful experience was a time of sorrow for the board as the alternative of acceptance and its implications were contemplated. Much prayer and thought preceded the action on the resignations. but the resignations were accepted with deep regret. The Board of World Mission made every effort to compromise. but the staff felt they were in no position to compromise what they felt were scriptural positions.

Fourth, in light of the commitment to continue to reach unreached peoples, the resigned staff was challenged to establish an organization through which they would minister on behalf of the Lord Jesus. This new organization would be funded initially on an annual basis using Board of World Mission funds collected from congregations, as is currently the case. It is entirely possible that, at some point in the future, the Board of World Mission may feel there is an opportunity to minister to another group of unreached people. Should that be the case. or should the new organization not need the Board of World Mission. they will be free to act on their own. They are not connected to the Moravian Church but it is anticipated they will receive funding from the Moravian Church as long as their mission and the vision of the Board of World Mission are reasonably the same.

It is for this reason that the funding requests for the Board of World Mission will remain the same for each congregation. It is vitally important that this new effort be supported by the prayers and the dollars of each congregation. In the near future each congregation will receive information from the Board of World Mission (in fact, this might already be in your hand) concerning this new venture and the vision being articulated by the Board of World Mission.

God is providing a new avenue of ministry for the Moravian Church. This opportunity to reach people for the Savior is consistent with the emphasis given to the church by Zinzendorf in the l8th century. But today it will have new opportunities and new possibilities. This is a part of the vision for ministry embraced by the Board of World Mission a few years ago. Now it will be a reality sooner. ,

This vision, coupled with the vision of the Northern Province to establish 20 new congregations by the year 2020, is an ambitious goal. Both rely on the prayers of God's people and a renewed sense of urgency to evangelize. This task has long been dormant within our denomination, but the Holy Spirit is awakening us anew. The challenge facing us is available not only within the continent of Asia or within the country of Mexico, but it is within our very province. Should you be hearing the voice to help there are many ways in which this can happen.

First, your congregation might wish to make a second mile gift to the Board of World Mission to assist in the ministry to unreached peoples. Such an effort, supported by fund raising efforts within your congregation, is very rewarding and can be of great value in this significant ministry.

Second, a member or members of your congregation might be hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit within their souls calling them into ministry. If this should be the case a conversation with your pastor, your district president, a bishop or a member of the Provincial Elders ' Conference would be a way to allow the community to assist in the discernment process.

Third, you might know of a community nearby within which your congregation could assist in bringing a new congregation into life. This "birthing" process is another way of opening the door of opportunity for your congregation to experience ministry in a new way.

These are exciting times which offer wonderful possibilities for evangelism and reaching others for Christ. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave..." The Provincial Elders of the Northern Province believe God is calling us in this new millennium to bring Christ to the Nation and to the Nations. You can certainly play a role in those possibilities.

Continue to support the Board of World Mission, through your contributions, your prayers and your ideas. The members of the Board of World Mission are listed in the directory portion of the Moravian Daily Texts for 2003 on page 56. Pray for our missionaries who are exploring a new way of doing ministry apart from the direct supervision of the Board of World Mission. Attend an evangelism seminar in your area sponsored by the Eastern District Evangelism Commission: March 1,2003 in the New York area and May 3, 2003 in the Ohio area. Call Dean Jurgen 717-755-3269 for additional information.

Your Brother in Christ, David L. Wickmann President for the Provincial Elders

Nancy Baldwin
 Larry R. Christianson
 Paul DeTilla
 Glenn Hertzog
 Graham Kerslake
 Carol Messina
 Gary Straughan